Sanford Institution for Savings release dated November 8, 2010
Sanford Junior High students are getting a chance to explore estuaries, beaches, and other coastal habitats thanks to a new partnership formed by Sanford Institution for Savings (SIS), the Sanford School Department, Laudholm Trust, and the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve. This fall, the Sanford Students to the Sea outdoor classroom program is bringing 240 seventh graders and their teachers to learn at the living laboratory of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm.
“What started as a pilot project to bring a busload of Sanford students to the Wells Reserve has turned into a hands-on, half-day outdoor experience for the entire grade 7 science cohort,” explained Diana Joyner, president of Laudholm Trust. “We are pleased that SIS is giving Sanford students the opportunity to visit the Wells Reserve, where they can reinforce the science concepts they are covering in school.”
SIS made a charitable donation of $1,100 to make the program possible. “In this difficult financial environment, there’s no better time to support education for children in our community,” said Mark T. Mickeriz, president and CEO of SIS. “I had the opportunity to talk to three of the science teachers at Sanford Junior High after the first field trip and was impressed with their commitment to their students and the response from the children who attended the Wells Reserve program.”
SIS is headquartered in downtown Sanford with branches located in Springvale, South Sanford, Limerick, Buxton, Waterboro, Wells and York. Deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The Bank can be reached at 1-888 BANK SIS (226-5747) or online at www.banksis.com.
The Wells Reserve at Laudholm is a National Estuarine Research Reserve with its headquarters listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is open to the public every day, with seven miles of trails and an undeveloped sand beach. The Wells Reserve operates programs in coastal research, environmental education, decision-maker training, and resource stewardship. Laudholm Trust, a member-supported nonprofit, contributes private funds and in-kind services to support Wells Reserve operations and capital improvements.
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This summer, the Wells Reserve and the University of New England sponsored two trips on the Saco River, bringing stakeholders together to talk about research findings from the first year of our collaborative project. Thanks to Tin and Jeremy for piloting the boat and to Michele for providing research findings and posing some hard questions about shoreland zoning.
We had a good cross section of stakeholders on the two trips. In addition to the Saco planner, code officer, and planning board members, we hosted a DEP Shoreland Zoning Regulator from Portland, and representatives from the Saco River Corridor Commission, Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission, Maine Geological Survey, and State Planning Office.
Insights gained from these trips will be used to engage policy makers, municipal officials, and the community in challenging conversations about shoreline land use and the condition of the Saco River estuary. The project is designed to continue for the next four years.
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